Sweet short-hander for Samuelsson, bitterness over Drouin hit: the coast-to-coast

Combing all corners of the country and the blogosphere for your junior hockey headlines ...

WHL

Hockey Canada will know by Tuesday whether the Toronto Maple Leafs will loan Morgan Rielly out for the world junior. Rielly isn't playing in Wednesday's Los Angeles Kings-Leafs game. (The Canadian Press)

The Regina Pats have managed decently amid an injury to their best player, Calgary Flames first-rounder Morgan Klimchuk, which was not always true of past Pats clubs. And what do they mean that Jordan Eberle didn't sell 50/50 tickets and drive the Zamboni when he played in Regina?! (Regina Leader-Post)

After Friday, Edmonton will be without its three aspirants for teams Canada and USA, so it's in their interest to make it count. Henrik Samuelsson had a sweet shorty on Tuesday vs. Saskatoon. (Edmonton Journal)

Today's should-read that is only tangentially about hockey: a captain in the Canadian army returned home from a tour in Afghanistan to surprise his 10-year-old girls. (Victoria Times-Colonist)

It got a little dusty while watching the Portland Winterhawks pass out gifts to children in the hospital. (FOX 12 Oregon)

What is the long tail of Tuesday's Matt Dumba trade? Meantime, Red Deer-bound Presten Kopeck, an Alberta native, will be playing in more familiar environs. (Oregon Live, The Hockey Writers, Medicine Hat News)

OHL

Playing on the Ottawa 67's first line in his first half of his 16-year-old season? Travis Konecny is doing something that past 67's luminaries such as Logan Couture and Sean Monahan did not pull off initially, writes Jean-François Plante. (Le Droit)

Meantime, the 67's have made a move to get a goalie in their stable. With overage Philippe Trudeau having made 18 consecutive starts, Ottawa has picked up the rights to 17-year-old Connor Hughes of the Junior B St. Marys Lincolns.

Nick Magyar is the first American to ever score the Kitchener Rangers' Teddy Bear Toss goal. Since London scored three late goals to win 6-4, does that mean they're the Grinch? (Waterloo Record)

Meantime, Montreal Canadiens first-rounder Michael McCarron was on his best shift-disturbing behaviour.

Defenceman Jakob Chychrun is frontrunner to go first overall in next spring's OHL priority selection, hands down. (Hockey Prospect)

There's more draft buzz around the OHL's goalie than that surrounding Plymouth's Alex Nedeljkovic. (OHL Prospects)

If there is such a thing as a "true contender" in the Eastern Conference, then Sudbury might have claim to being one if it beats Oshawa on Friday. (Sudbury Star)

North Bay's sprucing up of the Memorial Gardens only went over budget projections by about one-third, running $16 million rather than $12M. Well, it's not half! (North Bay Nugget)

QMJHL

Adam Erne getting away without a suspension for his hit from behind on Jonathan Drouin rates an editorial in Halifax. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)

Acadie-Bathurst Titan coach Danny Dupont notes the smallest of the small-market franchise has improved its infrastructure: more nights in hotels after road games and a bigger budget for coaching help. (Le Nouvelliste)

Quebec coach Philippe Boucher is keeping tight-lipped over the controversy, which is only further reminder of how much the Q misses Patrick Roy. (Le Soleil)

Nineteen-year-old newcomer Sébastien Gauthier's big start in Shawinigan has generated excitement around a team that could surely use some. (Le Nouvelliste) —

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet. Please address any questions, comments or concerns to btnblog@yahoo.ca.